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OTTAWA -- The federal government could be forced to buy new executive jets to transport the prime minister and other VIPs because of changes to air-traffic control rules in the U.S. and Europe. Two of the four Challenger jets currently used by the Canadian Forces for executive transport lack the equipment needed to comply with the new ADS-B system, which replaces radar-based air-traffic control with the transmission of GPS-based data. That will curtail the aircraft's ability to fly in the U.S. and Europe beginning next year. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has set Jan. 1, 2020, as the date aircraft will require ADS-B transmitters to operate legally in most airspace. Europe is implementing the system in June 2020. It doesn't make sense to install the equipment on two of older 1980s-era Challenger 601 jets flown by 412 Squadron, the defence department says. "Given the age of the fleet, investing in an ADS-B modification/upgrade would not be cost effective," the department said in an email. "We are therefore looking at other mitigation options. Timelines and costs will be determined once options have been selected." Buying new executive jets to replace the aging Challengers could be politically risky for the Trudeau government when it still hasn't acquired fighter jets to replace the aging fleet of CF-18s. Opposition parties of all stripes have assailed governments for what they considered profligate use of government aircraft in the past. "The executive fleet has been perennial issue where the country is penny-wise and pound-foolish," said David Perry, a defence procurement expert with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "We don't want to spend the money to buy aircraft and we have this bizarre expectation where you're taking the people in government whose time is most valuable and making them fly economy, basically, around the world." The continued use of older aircraft makes Candians look like "cheapskates," he said, comparing political opposition to the planes with the government's refusal to renovate 24 Sussex, the prime minister's official residence. The defence department projects spending between and $20 million and $49 million to "consolidate" the Challenger fleet, a figure likely based on acquiring used aircraft. Sources familiar with the operation of 412 Squadron say it would be difficult to meet its mandate with only two aircraft available to travel outside the country. The jets are used to transport the prime minister and Governor General and cabinet ministers, as well as the chief of defence staff, and visiting members of the Royal Family. But the jets are also on-call for medical evacuations, deploying advance teams with the Disaster Assistance Relief Team (DART) and, on occasion, covertly transporting Canadian special forces personnel. With only four Challengers, the squadron is operating close to capacity and losing two aircraft could threaten its ability to perform these missions, the sources said. If the government chose to acquire brand-new aircraft, it might be tempted to consider the Bombardier Global Express, which is faster and has a longer range than the smaller Challenger, making travel to Europe and Asia easier. Most of the aircraft is assembled in Canada. The German government currently uses four of Bombardier's Global 5000 jets for executive transport. Other documents show DND is projecting spending up to $249 million to extend the lifespan of the five larger Airbus 300-series jets beyond 2026, including one that prime minister and his staff fly on occasion. Once dubbed "the flying Taj Mahal" by then-opposition leader Jean Chretien, the Airbus is antiquated compared to most modern commercial aircraft, though it does have a private room for the prime minister to sleep in. Flight crews on the Airbus run extension cords and power bars down the aisles to allow passengers to run their laptop computers. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/air-traffic-control-changes-in-u-s-europe-may-force-ottawa-to-buy-new-executive-jets-1.4668608

By THERESA HITCHENS WASHINGTON: The Air Force is expanding a key data tool, the cloud-based Unified Data Library (UDL), that may underpin the service's ambitious Multi-Domain Operations push. Air Force leaders (including acquisition chief Will Roper) believe the UDL will be able to mesh data from all types of sensors to provide space situational awareness (SSA) and command and control (C2) for most Air Force missions. The small $37 million contract, awarded Tuesday to Bluestaq LLC, will “expand the Advanced Command and Control Enterprise Systems and Software (ACCESS) project for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Data Program Management Office and the Directorate of Special Programs, Space Situational Awareness Division.” ACCESS will feed the UDL, integrating data “from a wide range of sources spanning commercial, foreign, Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community (IC),” according to a company press release. The contract, awarded under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, appears to fulfill exactly what Roper and other Air Force acquisition officials are pressing for: drawing in small and innovative companies that can move fast to help the service get inside the speed of Moore's Law instead of taking years or decades to develop new software systems. “We can't specify all specific data sets over the next three years because prioritization is dynamic, but the goal is to eventually integrate all of AFSPC data there along with other sources such as commercial space (already there but more coming), multi-domain data from such as air, land, sea, data from other agencies, and even academia,” an Air Force Space Command spokesperson told Breaking D yesterday. The spokesperson noted that the expansion will support Space Command's National Space Defense Center, designed to run future combat operations in space and to integrate Intelligence Community data with that of the military. It also will support the Combine Space Operations Center (CSPOC), that shares space domain awareness information with allies, the spokesperson said, as well as administrative functions. UDL is the brain child of Maj. Gen. Kim Crider, Air Force Space Command's (AFSPC) data integration guru. Crider is charged with developing AFSPC's classified Enterprise Data Strategy and Roadmap to underpin multi-domain command and control (MDC2) operations. “The Unified Data Library consumes, processes, and distributes millions of unique data products daily originating from dozens of commercial, academic, and government organizations across the world to a diverse user base spanning 25 countries,” according to Bluestaq. “The Unified Data Library storefront provides a robust interactive online API to assist users or developers with education and discovery of available dashboards, data streams, services, structures, and formats. The Air Force plans to expand the Unified Data Library to allow different security classification user access levels and fuse data from all types of sensors to provide command and control for most Air Force missions.” Indeed, AFSPC said in its email, “UDL data is available to any partner organization today, depending on clearance, authorization of the data provider, and classification of the data in question.” The UDL also is being tested by the Commerce Department as it readies itself to take over the mission of providing space situational awareness (SSA) information to commercial and foreign satellite operators. To get some idea of how different the culture is at this company note this comment by Andy Hofle, Bluestaq chief engineer and co-founder: “It has been exciting to see the growing community interest in the data management platform over the last 18 months, and our team has had a tremendous amount of fun playing a role in the development of the project.” https://breakingdefense.com/2019/10/air-force-hires-startup-to-build-up-mdos-unified-data-library

By: Tom Kington ROME – Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group announced the name of their new naval joint venture will be ‘Naviris' on Wednesday, the day after Fincantieri lashed out at reports that its takeover of French ship yard Chantiers de l'Atlantique faces EU anti-trust opposition. The new name for the JV was announced after a quarterly steering committee meeting of the 50-50 alliance, which was launched in June and is set to be incorporated by year's end. The two state-controlled shipbuilding firms aim to use the joint venture to build and market naval vessels, as well share supply chains, research and testing. As part of the deal, France is using an Italian design for its new logistics vessel, while the two yards will work together on upgrading the Horizon frigates jointly built by Italy and France and operated by both countries. There are also plans for the JV to work on a new European Patrol Corvette. The two yards have promoted the JV as a way to create synergies in Europe's fractured naval industry to allow it to compete globally, and it came on the heels of Fincantieri's takeover of France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard — a deal which will allow the two yards to share work on cruise ships. This month the drive for more synergy appeared be bearing fruit when Fincantieri said that it would be building forward sections for the new French logistics ships. The four vessels, part of the FLOTLOG (Flotte logistique) program, which are based on the Italian Vulcano design, are being built by a temporary consortium between Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group. Fincantieri said it would build the sections at its Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in southern Italy, with deliveries to Chantiers de l'Atlantique, which it controls, scheduled between 2021 and 2027. The only potential hitch to the cross-border cooperation is the European Union, which is studying the Fincantieri takeover of Chantiers de l'Atlantique for anti-trust violations, and has yet to give a green light. On Tuesday Fincantieri attacked press reports suggesting the anti-trust probe had been extended, claiming it “strongly disapproves of such rumors, which have also negatively affected its share price today.” In a statement, Fincantieri said that if the rumors were true, it would “firmly” disapprove of such a decision by the EU. The company challenged reports that the deal would cut the number of cruise ship builders in Europe to two, claiming the real number would be three. Correction: This story was updated on Nov. 1 to correct the name of the new joint venture. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/10/31/fincantieri-naval-group-dub-their-joint-venture-navaris

By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has selected General Dynamics Land Systems' Multi-Utility Tactical Transport, or MUTT, for its Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport unmanned ground system program of record. The initial contract for the eight-wheel drive robotic vehicle totals $162.4 million and includes support hardware, user training and technical support. The contract will wrap up at the end of October 2024, according to an Oct. 30 Defense Department announcement. GDLS will produce 624 systems for the Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport, or SMET, program under the contract and will begin delivery in the second quarter of fiscal 2021, an Army spokesperson confirmed to Defense News. Four companies were chosen at the end of 2017 to compete to build the robotic vehicle that will help troops carry equipment on the battlefield. A team of Applied Research Associates and Polaris Defense; General Dynamics Land Systems; HDT Expeditionary Systems and Howe & Howe were selected to build 20 platforms each that were issued to two infantry brigade combat teams for testing and analysis of utility in the field. Polaris' MRZR X was evaluated as well as HDT's six-wheel drive Global Hunter WOLF, or Wheeled Offload Logistics Follower. Textron-owned Howe & Howe offered its Grizzly unmanned vehicle, which is powered by an electric engine. HDT's Global Hunter WOLF was recently picked, along with three other teams to include Textron and QinetiQ North America, to compete to build vehicles for the Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light effort. The Army selected those teams from an array of companies chosen to participate in a demonstration event in the fall of 2017 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Other companies that participated in that demonstration included American Robot Company; Lockheed Martin; AM General; Robo-Team NA; and QinetiQ North America. For the SMET program, the Army was looking for a vehicle that can carry about 1,000 pounds worth of soldier equipment. This equates to lightening the load of nine soldiers across an infantry squad. The Army wanted the robots to be able to travel 60 miles over three days and to be able to provide a spare kilowatt hour of power while moving and at least 3 kilowatt hours while stationary. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/10/31/heres-the-robotic-vehicle-that-will-carry-equipment-for-us-troops/

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is being awarded a sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification (P00345) under previously awarded contract HQ0276-10-C-0001. The total value of this contract modification is $139,663,509. The total value of the contract increases from $3,024,726,153 by $139,663,509 to $3,164,389,662. This modification provides for scope supporting Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, including additional upgrades to Baseline 5.4, flight test, ground test, post-certification engineering, in-service support, and future studies. This contract modification contains a three month option period which, if exercised, will increase the cumulative value of this contract to $3,210,363,559. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, with an expected completion date of July 31, 2020. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation; fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement defense wide; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,080,453 will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded a $90,686,673 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Integrated Combat Management System and associated combat system elements. The work includes development, integration, test and delivery of future combat system baseline upgrades for in-service ships; supporting ship integration, installation and checkout; developmental test/operational test; developing training and logistics products; providing field technical support for the combat system; providing hardware engineering and equipment procurement; providing life-cycle supportability engineering; and providing fleet support for fielded baselines. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (79.4%); San Diego, California (19.3%); and Mobile, Alabama (1.3%), and is expected to be completed by October 2024. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $393,837,142. Work is expected to be complete by October 2024. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,013,124 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1); only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-5603). Management Services Group Inc., doing business as Global Technical Systems,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $83,726,453 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, and cost-only contract modification to previously awarded contract N63394-19-C-0008 to exercise options for the sustainment of the Common Processing System. This option exercise is for production and installation of ordnance alteration (ORDALT) kits and associated engineering services, logistics and incidental materials in support of the Common Processing System. ORDALT kits are anticipated to be installed on Aegis destroyers, Aegis cruisers, Landing Helicopter Deck, Landing Ship Dock, aircraft carriers and Japanese destroyers. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (21%); San Diego, California (16%); Yokosuka, Japan (11%); Honolulu, Hawaii (8%); Dahlgren, Virginia (6.5%); Wallops Island (6.5%); Aegis Ashore (5%); Everett, Washington (5%); Mayport, Florida (5%); Moorestown, New Jersey (5%); Port Hueneme, California (5%); Washington, District of Columbia (3%); Rota, Spain (3%); Deveselu, Romania (2.5%); and Redzikowo, Poland (2.5%), and is expected to be complete by October 2020. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $116,436,973 and be complete by July 2024. Fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding for $1,483,823 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Dyncorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $56,496,749 modification (P00033) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable contract (N68936-17-C-0052). This modification exercises an option that provides aircraft maintenance, modification and aircrew support. This modification includes organizational-level aircraft maintenance and logistics support on aircraft, systems/subsystems, aircrew systems, search-and-rescue equipment and support equipment for P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, E/A-18 Growler, AV-8B Harrier II and H-60 Seahawk for the Naval Test Wing Pacific. Work will be performed in China Lake, California (50%); Point Mugu, California (40%); Hickman Air Force Base, Hawaii (2%); Lemoore, California (2%); Patrick Air Force Base, Florida (1%); Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico (1%); Patuxent River, Maryland (1%); Yuma, Arizona (1%); Miramar, California (1%) and North Island, California (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. Fiscal 2020 working capital (Navy) funds for $42,121,234 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $46,103,818 modification (P00024) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (W15QKN-15-D-0001) to execute Award Term 4 for integrated logistics support for multiple Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, Maryland (52%); Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (5.5%); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (5.5%); Jacksonville, Florida (2.5%); Pensacola, Florida (2.5%); various other locations within the continental U.S. (4%); Kuwait City, Kuwait (24%); Atsugi, Japan (1%) Iwakuni, Japan (1%); Koahsiung, Taiwan (1%); and Cairo, Egypt (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Boston Consulting Group, Bethesda, Maryland, is awarded a $16,054,435 modification (P00007) to a previously issued firm-fixed-price order (N00421-19-F-0106) against a General Services Administration, Federal Supply Schedule contract (GS-10-F-0253V). This modification exercises the option to continue the implementation of a new Naval Sustainment System (NSS) to include the development of governance, coordination and accountability mechanisms across the Naval Aviation Enterprise. The Commander for the Fleet Readiness Center's contribution to the NSS will deploy commercial maintenance best practices, tailored to the Navy's operational requirements and starting position; in order to reduce component repair and heavy maintenance periodic maintenance inspection turnaround times and better enable aviation readiness recovery. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in April 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds for $16,054,435 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded an $11,517,079 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5145 to exercise options for DDG 1000 ship class integrated logistics support and engineering services. The DDG 1000 ship class is a multi-mission surface combatant designed to fulfill volume firepower and precision strike requirements. DDG 1000 combat systems provide offensive, distributed and precise firepower, and long ranges in support of forces ashore, while incorporating signature reduction, active and passive self-defense systems and enhanced survivability features. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (51%); Tewksbury, Massachusetts (21%); San Diego, California (11%); Nashua, New Hampshire (6%); Bath, Maine (5%); Los Angeles, California (3%); Marlboro, Massachusetts (2%); and Fort Wayne, Indiana (1%), and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and operation and maintenance (Navy) funding for $3,164,948 will be obligated at time of award, and funds for $712,934 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $10,000,353 modification (P00003) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-19-C-0016). This modification extends the period of performance and increases scope to include obsolescence redesign in support of the production and delivery of Harpoon Block II missiles for the government of Saudi Arabia. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (63.46%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (21.61%); and St. Louis, Missouri (14.93%), and is expected to be completed in November 2019. Foreign Military Sales funds for $10,000,353 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Physical Optics Corp.,* Torrance, California, is awarded an $8,631,282 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the design, test, production and delivery of up to 503 C-Band radar tracking transponders in support of the Aerial Targets program. Work will be performed in Torrance, California, and is expected to be completed in October 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside via an electronic request for proposal; three offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0005). Sealift Inc., Oyster Bay, New York, is awarded an $8,592,948 modification under a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract (N32205-17-C-3510) to fund the third one-year option period. The option will continue to provide one U.S. flagged vessel (M/V Bernard Fisher) for prepositioning and transportation of cargo for the Department of the Air Force. The current contract includes a 12-month base period, four 12-month option periods, and one 212-day option period. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 5, 2020. This contract option will be funded by fiscal 2020 working capital funds for $7,747,740; and fiscal 2021 for $845,208, for a total amount of $8,592,948. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-17-C-3510). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $36,306,061 firm-fixed-price contract for multiple radar equipment components. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-time procurement contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Virginia and Massachusetts, with a June 14, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (SPRMM1-20-F-DK02). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded a maximum $35,902,768 firm-fixed-price contract for control display units. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Iowa, with an Oct. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-20-D-0003). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Layton, Utah, has been awarded a $22,571,000 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00009) to previously award contract FA8204-19-C-0001 for ICBM Cryptography Upgrade Increment II (ICU II) production. This modification exercises production Lot 2, Option 1 and provides the government 54 A-4 drawers. Work will be performed at Huntsville, Alabama; Huntington Beach, California; and Layton, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 12, 2022. The total cumulative face value is $104,213,725. Fiscal 2019 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $1,826,000; and fiscal 2020 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $20,745,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, ICBM Contracting Division, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $22,250,138 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification (P00039) to previously awarded FA8730-15-C-0002 for the Qatar Air Missile Defense Operation Center (ADOC). The contract modification is for the procurement of the outside continental U.S. transfer of ADOC prime mission equipment (PME), installation of ADOC PME, integration activities, training of ADOC operators, and development of a communications cabinet. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts; and Qatar, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2020. This modification involves 100 percent foreign military sales to Qatar. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $303,037,178. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $22,250,138 are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $9,331,526 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification (P01025) to a previously awarded contract F19628-02-C-0010 for sustainment of the Ground-Based Electro Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) weapons system. Work will be performed at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory; Maui, Hawaii; and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value is $9,331,516. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,463,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. ARMY Olsson Industrial Electric Inc., Springfield, Oregon, was awarded a $14,644,904 firm-fixed-price contract to replace the four main unit 15kV switchgear line-ups, replace the 480V station service switchgear, replace the unwatering/sump pumps and motors, transformer deluge containment, rehab of transformer fire protection system, replace the governor kidney loop system and install new generator step up transformers at the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir Powerhouse. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Keota, Oklahoma, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2010 operations and maintenance; and civil works funds in the amount of $14,644,904 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (W912BV-20-C-0002). Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors,* Houma, Louisiana, was awarded an $8,731,775 firm-fixed-price contract for planning, scheduling, engineering, construction, testing and delivery of an inland z-drive workboat. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Olmsted, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of March 9, 2022. Fiscal 2019 civil works and civil construction funds in the amount of $8,731,775 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0002). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2005134/source/GovDelivery/

In May 2018, CAE and KF Aerospace joined together to form SkyAlyne Canada – a 50/50 joint venture to focus on developing and delivering military pilot and aircraft training in Canada. These two companies currently deliver all phases of pilot training to the Royal Canadian Air Force through the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program and the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) program. These programs will come to an end in the next few years and Canada is looking to award a new contract to renew its existing aircrew training services through the Future Aircrew Training program (FAcT). Vanguard recently had the opportunity to speak with Peter Fedak, Program Solutions, SkyAlyne Canada. Can you tell us a little more about this joint venture between CAE and KF Aerospace? Peter Fedak: CAE and KF Aerospace are the current providers of all phases of military pilot training and air combat system operator training in Canada. Since we have the knowledge, experience, and credibility with the RCAF in providing these training services to them, we thought that by joining together we can provide the best solution for Canada. The best way to do that was to create an entirely new entity – a 50/50 joint venture – with two leading air training Canadian companies. That led to the birth of SkyAlyne, a true collaboration to bring the best solution for the future, provided by a truly Canadian organization. The expertise that we possess – right here in Canada – is a real benefit to Canadians and the RCAF. What are some of the top training challenges with the current programs? PF: With any government program, the most important thing to taxpayers is cost. In Canada, we have some unique environmental challenges that drive the cost up, like the weather, flying below 40 degrees Celsius or above 40. This requires infrastructure, aircraft requirements, and personnel to operate in these extreme temperatures. Another challenge is timing. The NFTC program will expire in 2023, with an option year to 2024. The timeline to engineer the transition, planning, and infrastructure is a challenge that we and the government recognize, but we are ready to face it. With our ongoing programs, we are well situated to seamlessly make the transition for Canada. If SkyAlyne is selected for the FAcT program, what are some of the capabilities that this joint venture will bring to the table? PF: A key part in the lead up to FAcT will be to maintain the existing training programs while transitioning to the new program. We have the employees, technical and infrastructure base with the current programs and the ability to seamlessly move between the two. The most valuable resource is people and under NFTC and CFTS, we have a true core human resources capability of trained, qualified and professional people that work under these programs every day and are committed to the success of the pilot training program for the RCAF. Having these personnel is a real core capability for us to maintain the production of pilots while moving forward. Can you share with us some of the lessons or takeaways from the CFTS program that you think would be important to incorporate into the FAcT program? PF: The key lesson is the relationship. We didn't create this program and then offer it to the RCAF. We are here because of the RCAF and the Government of Canada. We are here to support them by understanding the culture and people and building on that by working closely with them to keep the program moving forward. This is truly a long-term relationship, like a marriage. We are here for 22 years under this contract and looking for another 25 years. So, it's a matter of establishing and maintaining that trust going forward. That's the only way you can get through these long-term complex contracts – building a good relationship. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. PF: Thank you very much for the opportunity. It's always a pleasure to speak about not only our current programs here in Southport, Manitoba and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan but also the future opportunities to continue supporting the Government of Canada with our exciting new joint venture of SkyAlyne. To hear more about this topic listen to the podcast with Peter Fedak. https://vanguardcanada.com/2019/10/30/skyalyne-a-true-canadian-collaboration-for-fact/

Steve Trimble As the U.S. Air Force comes within weeks of the first operational laser weapons, the Defense Department is hatching new concepts to address the power and thermal management limits of the state-of-the-art in the directed energy field. In a largely secret dress rehearsal staged last week at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the Air Force performed another round of tests of the deploying Raytheon High Energy Laser Weapon System (HEL-WS), as well as other directed energy options, such as the Air Force Research Laboratory's Tactical High Power Microwave Operational Responder (THOR), says Kelly Hammett, director of AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate. “All I can say is there were multiple systems. From my reading of the reports, it looked like a very successful exercise,” says Hammett, who addressed the Association of Old Crows annual symposium Oct. 29. The Fort Sill experiment was intended to put the weapons through their paces in a realistic operational environment. AFRL's Strategic Development, Planning and Experimentation (SDPE, which, despite its spelling, is pronounced “Speedy”) office called on the HEL-WS and THOR to engage swarms of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The experiments also demonstrated new diagnostic tools, allowing AFRL testers to understand the atmosphere's effect on energy propagation in real time. SDPE awarded Raytheon a contract in August to deliver a “handful” of systems to the Air Force for a one-year deployment scheduled to conclude in November 2020. The HEL-WS will be used to defend Air Force bases from attacks by swarming, small UAS and cruise missiles, Hammett says. The Air Force is not releasing the location of the deployed sites for the HEL-WS. AFRL also is grooming THOR for an operational debut. Instead of blasting a UAS with a high-energy optical beam, THOR sends powerful pulses of radio frequency energy at a target to disable its electronics. Hammett describes THOR as a second-generation directed energy weapon. It is designed to be rugged for operational duty and compact enough to be transported inside a single container loaded into a Lockheed Martin C-130. Upon unloading from the aircraft, THOR can be activated within a couple hours, or broken down and moved within the same period, he says. Despite decades of basic research on directed energy systems, such operational capabilities have evolved fairly rapidly. The Air Force finally consolidated its strategy for developing directed energy weapons in the 2017 flight plan, Hemmett said. The document narrowed a once-fragmented research organization that attempted to address too many missions. “Directed energy zealots like myself have been blamed, rightly so, of saying directed energy can do almost anything you want it to do. And we pursued multiple applications to the effect that we were diffusing some of our efforts,” he says. The 2017 flight plan selected three initial use cases: Air base defense, precision strike and self-protect. The HEL-WS and THOR are addressing the first mission. The Joint Navy-Air Force High Power Electromagnetic Non-Kinetic Strike (Hijenks) program is developing a missile to address the precision strike requirement, as a follow-on to the Counter-electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project (Champ) that concluded five years ago. In the long-term, AFRL also plans to demonstrate the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (Shield), a podded defensive weapon for aircraft. Although such technology has come far, researchers are still grappling with fundamental issues to make them practical. Namely, the power generation and thermal management requirement for high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves remains a challenge. “If you're willing to have very limited duty-cycle, very limited magazine, the power and thermal management aren't very challenging,” Hemmett says. “Of course, that's not what we want from directed energy weapons. We want deep magazines. We want to be able to handle wave attacks as favorably or more favorably that kinetic weapons.” The “rule of thumb” for a high-energy laser is an efficiency of about one-third, meaning a 300-kW generator is necessary to create a 100-kW laser beam, resulting in 200 kW of waste heat that must be dealt with in some way, says Frank Peterkin, a senior technologist on directed energy for the U.S. Navy who spoke at the same event. On Navy ships, that puts the laser in competition with the electronic warfare and radar subsystems for power and thermal management loads, he adds. “The challenge for the directed energy community is we don't really own the solution,” Peterkin says. “It does need to be a more holistic solution for the Navy. We are a customer, but we're not driving the solution, per se.” Although directed energy researchers cannot design the power grids for bases, ships and aircraft, they can help the requirement in other ways, says Lawrence Grimes, director of the Directed Energy Joint Transition Office within the Defense, Research and Engineering directorate of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The development of special amplifier diodes for fiber optic lasers are breaking the “rule of thumb” for high-energy systems, Grimes says. “They actually operate at higher temperatures and higher efficiency, so they can reduce the requirement necessary for the prime power and thermal management, and we're not throwing away 200 kW.” Other Defense Department organizations are pursuing more ambitious options. The Strategic Capabilities Office is selecting suppliers to demonstrate small, 10 MW-size nuclear reactors, as a power generation option for directed energy weapons at austere forward operating bases. Meanwhile, AFRL also is considering space-based power generation. Under the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research program, AFRL will investigate using high-efficiency solar cells on a spacecraft to absorb the solar energy. The spacecraft then would convert the solar energy into a radio frequency transmission and beam it to a base to supply energy. AFRL has awarded Northrop Grumman a $100 million contract to begin developing the technology. If those seem like long-term options, the Air Force is not immediately concerned. The HEL-WS and THOR are designed to use “wall-plug” power or the military's standard electric generators, Hammett says. https://aviationweek.com/defense/era-laser-weapons-dawns-tech-challenges-remain

ARMY General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $162,403,915 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to procure small multipurpose equipment transport systems; support hardware including authorized stockage list kits and prescribed load list kits; and services for refurbishment, user training, field service representative, system technical support, program management support for pre-production meetings, and storage. Four bids were solicited with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0002). The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $62,294,566 modification (PZ0005) to contract W58RGZ-19-C-0024 for performance-based logistics support for the AH-64D/E Apache Attack helicopter. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2024. Fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds in the amount of $62,294,566 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AGCM Inc.,* Corpus Christi, Texas (W912DY-20-D-0002); Alliance Consulting Group Inc.,* Alexandria, Virginia (W912DY-20-D-0003); PCS and MOCA JV LLC,* Decatur, Georgia (W912DY-20-D-0004); Professional Project Services Inc., Oak Ridge, Tennessee (W912DY-20-D-0005); Project Time and Cost LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (W912DY-20-D-0006); and Michael Baker International Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W912DY-20-D-0007), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 18, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $69,247,177 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for up to 931,200 man hours of installation and certification technical support to the Combat Integration and Identification Systems Division, Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Webster Outlying Field and Patuxent River in support of the Navy and the governments of Japan, South Korea and Australia. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (80%); and Rockville, Maryland (20%), and is expected to be completed in April 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; one offer was received. The NAWCAD, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0003). Aircraft Readiness Alliance LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $55,170,944 modification (P00012) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N68936-17-C-0081). This modification exercises an option to provide depot level maintenance services in support of the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest mission. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (79.5%); Lemoore, California (8.5%) Camp Pendleton, California (3.4%); Yuma, Arizona (2.4%); Miramar, California (2.2%); Whidbey Island, Washington (1.7%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (1%); Nellis, Nevada (1%); and Fallon, Nevada (0.3%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. Fiscal 2020 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,062,893 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. AUSTAL USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $21,529,121 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order N69316-20-F-4000 against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-19-G-2318 to accomplish advance planning, material procurement and work in support of the post shakedown availability (PSA) of the littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18). This effort encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, non-standard equipment and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish the USS Charleston (LCS 18) PSA. The work to be performed will include correction of government responsible trial card deficiencies, new work identified between custody transfer and the time of PSA, and incorporation of approved engineering changes that were not incorporated during the construction period which are not otherwise the building yard's responsibility under the ship construction contract. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $14,700,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funding: fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, Navy (75%); fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (20%); and fiscal 2019 other procurement, Navy (5%). This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1); only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $17,630,211 modification (05) to a cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N00019-17-F-2017) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This modification exercises an option to perform 27 modifications in support of the Increment 3 Block 1 retrofit requirement for P-8A aircraft for the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington (64.9%); Edinburgh, Australia (33.8%); and Meza, Arizona (1.3%), and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,362,276; and cooperative engagement agreement funds in the amount of $6,267,935 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $10,571,178 modification (P00015) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-14-C-0040). This modification provides for the development and delivery of an enhanced simulator database and project management support for the F-35 aircraft in support of the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (70%); and Fort Worth, Texas (30%), and is expected to be completed in July 2021. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $10,311,534 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Allison Transmission, Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $35,266,682 firm-fixed-price contract for transmissions. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-year base contract with one, one-year option period being awarded at the time of award. Location of performance is Indiana, with a March 31, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0023). Alliant Healthcare, Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $30,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical/surgical supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 16 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no options. Location of performance is Michigan, with an Oct. 29, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-20-D-0004). Propper International, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $13,099,478 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for Improved Combat Vehicle Crewmen's coveralls with the operational camouflage pattern. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with an Oct. 29, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1205). AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Co., Space Systems Co., King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a $7,325,831 contract modification (P00031) to previously awarded contract FA8823-17-C-0003 for the AN/UMQ-13 Meteorological Data Station MARK IV-B System sustainment. The MARK IV-B is a web enabled client-server system that receives, processes, disseminates and stores real time imagery and mission sensor data from polar orbiting and geostationary satellites. Data from multiple satellites can be processed simultaneously. Using approved network protocols the system disseminates environmental imagery and sensor data to internal/external modeling systems and provides stored environmental imagery and sensor data to forecaster users. The MARK IV-B Forecaster client software is fully interrogatable and enables weather personnel to manipulate and transform environmental data. The MARK IV-B provides both automatic and semiautomatic dissemination of products to other approved external systems. Work will be performed at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2020. The total cumulative face value is $27,313,202. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,438,207; and spectrum relocation funds in the amount of $644,391 are being obligated at the time of option award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. *Small Business

Aéro Montréal tient actuellement une formation de deux jours sur le marché canadien de la défense. Cette formation permet à une trentaine de participants de mieux comprendre les bases du processus d'approvisionnement du gouvernement du Canada et du ministère de la Défense nationale, la stratégie d'approvisionnement en matière de défense, les outils disponibles, les rôles et responsabilités des différents paliers gouvernementaux... Le descriptif des thèmes abordés durant les deux jours est disponible ici https://lnkd.in/gUmQhG8